Witnesses: Passenger tried to open cabin door in flight from San Francisco to Boise

by Abigail Taylor and KBOI News Staff

Other passengers aboard United Express flight 5449 restrained the man during the flight. The plane landed safely at Boise Airport (Photo courtesy of Scott Smith).

BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) —

A female passenger tried to open the cabin door inside a United Express flight from San Francisco to Boise on Monday, witnesses tell KBOI 2News.

Other passengers aboard United Express flight 5449 restrained the passenger during the flight, which landed safely at Boise Airport about 20 minutes later.

According to witnesses, the woman seemed nervous to fly before taking off from San Francisco. They say she caused a scene before takeoff but the flight took off as scheduled.

They say partway through the flight, the woman got up from her seat in first class and ran toward the door screaming "I want to die! Get me off this plane!"

A female flight attendant was making a drink nearby and began struggling with the woman to keep her away from the door, witnesses say.

Several male passengers then moved to the front of the plane and helped restrain the woman, according to witnesses. One passenger held her to the ground for the rest of the flight.

Scott Smith, a witness, told KBOI 2News that he heard the woman saying strange things like "God has all the data" and "we landed in Boise 15 minutes ago" while the plane was still in the air.

The pilot came over the intercom shortly after the incident and thanked passengers for remaining calm during what just happened, according to witnesses, the pilot then told passengers to do whatever necessary to keep the woman away the door and that police would be waiting for them when they landed.

Several Boise police officers were on scene upon arrival. Boise PD says the passenger was then taken for medical evaluation.

The woman, who has not been identified, is now in the custody of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

Officers are sending the police report to prosecutors to determine if charges should be filed, CBS News reports.

SkyWest issued the following statement:

SkyWest flight 5449, operating as United Express from San Francisco to Boise, landed safely in Boise after reports of a customer attempting to open the aircraft door. The customer was restrained and law enforcement officials met the flight at the gate, where all passengers safely deplaned. The unruly customer was held for questioning by law enforcement.